A K927 million health post under construction in Traditional Authority Kilupula (T/A) in Karonga District has sparked excitement among community members who struggled to access medical services.
The facility, being constructed under the Presidential Initiative on Maternal Health with funding from Susan Buffett Foundation, is expected to be completed after a year.
When commissioned, it will provide maternal and infant services to about 6 832 people around Chisi and Chikutu areas in T/A Kilupula.
On Tuesday, an inspection team from the Ministry of Health and Sanitation and Karonga District Council toured the facility to appreciate its progress.
In his remarks, group village head Chisi said for so long, community members endured long distances to Atupele Community Hospital and Kaporo Rural Hospital which are over 45 kilometres away.
“With soaring transportation fares, patients and guardians spend more than K40 000. We are, therefore, excited to have a health post nearby,” he said.
On his part, Karonga district director of health services David Sibale said the facility will improve healthcare services for under-five children.
“The total project includes subsidiary structures of two houses, solar electricity and water to be abstracted from the ground. In future, grid power and water from Northern Region Water Board shall be connected,” he said.
Sibale said apart from reducing the long distance, the health post will also offer preventive healthcare services such as water, sanitation and hygiene, health education messages, HIV testing, vector and vermin control.
The ministry’s director of curative and rehabilitative services Frank Sinyiza expressed satisfaction with the project’s progress.
“The contractor is mobilising building materials so that construction should not be interrupted once rains start,” he said.
